You’re sitting at the table enjoying your meal when suddenly someone stands and starts tapping a raised glass with an item of cutlery. No matter where you are from, you know that they’re about to make a toast.

Spontaneous but well-prepared: Toasts are commonly spontaneous speeches which the speaker has not had much time to think about or prepare. This is especially true when a group of guests make a public suggestion that a specific person give a toast. Not only does this compel the person to make the toast, it also leaves the speaker with very little time to think and prepare. Nevertheless, it is important that the toast is still delivered as if it were prepared well. To do this the speaker should take a few moments to ponder on what he will say, instead of just speaking without any though whatsoever.

Personal Experiences: When toasts honor a person or group of people, it is quite effective for the speaker to recall some personal experiences which involve the person or group. These events or experiences should be a testament to whatever is being toasted, such as a certain individual being an excellent friend. The speaker should also remember that he is giving a toast, so the story he tells should be concise and deliver a specific message in as few words as possible.

Short and Sweet: No matter what the occasion, a toast is always short and sweet. This means that it is delivered in only a minimal amount of sentences while still saying quite a bit. This can be accomplished by thinking about what you want to say beforehand, formulating about five main points and then briefly speaking about each point, a maximum of three sentences per main idea.

Climactic Moments: Often toasts are one of the climactic moments in any special event. There may be some good speeches and memorable moments, but toasts are powerful and memorable, mostly because they are concise and deliver a great message and convey well wishes or honor to someone or a group. The speaker, therefore, should ensure that the toast, while concise, is able to deliver a heart-warming message that will never be forgotten; whenever anyone thinks back on the event they should remember the highlights and the toast.

Eye Contact: An important factor to bear in mind when delivering a toast is eye contact. It is a communication mechanism that is powerful in its power to draw attention, and this is no less true in giving toasts. Make eye contact with the subject of the toasts when speaking to them, and make eye contact with everyone else when speaking about the subject. This is an important mechanism that will ensure the toast is absorbed and never forgotten.

Sincerity: Toasts are just empty words without a sincere demeanor behind them. Thus it is important to be earnest, and if you cannot achieve this truthfully then it is better for someone else to do the toast. This should hardly be the case as you wouldn’t be chosen for the toast in the first place if you didn’t have a strong connection to the person or group you’re toasting to. The important thing is to make sure that the toast is from the heart and this will automatically show through in your words.

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